Self sealing and self locking plastic casket



Oct. 15, 1957 F. A. vlNclUs 2,809,416

SELF sEALING AND sELE LOCKING PLASTIC GASKET Filed Aug. 19, 1955 'f//ll 29 'f/// l 13+ /0 INVENTOR.

57 FRANK A.V/Nc/U5 SELF SEALING AND SELF LOCKING VPLASTIC CASKET Frank A. yVincius, xNew 0r1eans,;La.

Application August 19, 1955, Serial No. 529,474

3 Claims. (Cl.f27'17) This invention vrelates to. caskets of the type having locking elements wherein uponpositioning the cover on 'the body' the coverY is locked in position obviating Vthe necessity for locks, handles, hasps, and the like and making it possible, ,to provide a plastic casket-.without hinges, handles, or, other metallic elements bolted to or moulded in the plastic.

The purpose of this invention is Ito provide locking means in a casket wherein upon positioning a cover on the. casket the cover is automatically locked in position.

Various types of devices have been provided for securing covers on caskets to insure sealing a casket, however,.such devices are either moulded in the material of the casket or attached thereto-with bolts and the like and as such metal parts corrode and rust itis possible for the caskets to eventually open. With this .thought in mind, this Vinvention contemplates a casket in which all exposed metal elements are eliminated and in which spring actuated keys are snapped into Vlocking positions as sections of a cover are positioned. on the casket.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide latching means for securing sections of a cover on a casket in which the locking elements in the form of spring biased keys are adapted to be incorporated in slots in walls of the body of a casket with the keys being adapted to snap into locking positions as sections of a cover arrive at sealing positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide locking means for securing a cover on a casket in which the locking elements are adapted to be installed in slots in walls of the casket without adding elements to the exterior of the casket and without enlarging portions of walls of the casket.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for locking a cover of a casket in position without conventional keys or other locking means in which the casket is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention embodies an elongated plastic body having a ybase with side and end walls extended upwardly therefrom and a cover divided into complementary sections with keys between the sections and side walls of the casket for positively locking the sections of the cover in sealing positions on the body of the casket.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational View of a casket with parts of one end and also of the intermediate part of one of the cover sections broken away to illustrate the construction of the casket and also the arrangement of one of the locking elements therein.

Figure 2 is a plan view of one end of the 'body of the casket with the opposite end broken away.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the upper portion of one side of the casket with the parts shown on an enlarged scale showing one of the locking keys and also United States Patent Fifeice 2 a spring for retaining the key in the'positioneof'locking and sealing the cover on the casket.

'Figure 4 is a longitudinalk section through oneofethe latching'elementataken on line 4-4 of vFigure 3, showing the latching key-extended upwardly inthe position of locking the cover on the body of thec'asket.

Figure 5 is a cross section, similar to that shown in Figure 3, showing the latching key'depressed and positioned in a slotin a side wall ofthe body of the casket.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section throughone side of the casket, taken on line 6 6 of Figure 5showing one of the locking keys depressed.

Figure 7 isa typical cross section through the casket and cover, said section being taken on line177 of Figure l.

Figure. 8 `is a longitudinal section through `meeting edges of the cover showing atongue and. grooveconnection with- 1which ,the edges arel sealed. Y

'Figure 9 is -a side elevational view of the casket illustratinga modiication wherein openings areprovidedY in the outer surfaceof the, side walls -.to form inset. gripsto facilitate carrying the casket by hand.

Figure 10 is a cross section through one side Aof the casket shown in Figure 9 taken on line 10-10 thereof with the partsshownA on-an enlargedl scale showing the inset grips.

Referring now tothe drawing,l wherein `like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved. self .sealing t and self. locking casket. ofthis invention-.includes a body having a -base-10vwith upwardly extended end walls l1 and 12 and similarly positionedVV side walls- 13 and 14, a cover including sections 15 and'l, the cover sections having. longitudinally `disposed grooves-.17 and :'13 adapted toreceive upperedges of the side walls, and'continuoustongues 19-fthat are adapted to extend into-.slots 26 in the outer surfaces :of fthesideandcend.walls. The inner surfaces of the cover sections are provided with ribs 21. The combination of the ribs 21, tongues 19 and `grooves or recesses 17 and 18, and slots 20 provide sealing means whereby the edges of the cover are sealed over upper edges of the side and end walls.

Upper edges of the side walls are provided with recesses 22 in which keys 23 are positioned and large ends of the keys are urged upwardly by springs 24, lower ends of which are positioned in openings 25 in the side walls and upper ends of which are positioned in similar openings 26 in lower surfaces of the keys.

In assembling the cover sections upon the casket, the keys 23 are depressed, as illustrated in Figure 6, and as inner ends 27 of recesses 23 in the sides of the cover sections reach ends 29 of the recesses 22 the keys 23 are snapped upwardly by the springs from the position shown in Figure 6 to that shown in Figure 4. With the keys urged upwardly by the springs, as illustrated in Figure 4, return movement of one of the cover sections is prevented and, consequently, after sliding the sections into positions a casket is sealed and it is impossible to remove the sections or open the casket. The springs 24 hold the keys 23 upwardly with large ends 30 of the keys positioned against the ends 27 of the recesses 23 and with small ends 31 of the keys positioned against end surfaces 32 of the recesses 22 in the side walls of the body of the casket.

As illustrated in Figure 8, meeting edges 33 and 34 of the cover sections 15 and 16 are joined with a tongue and groove connection, the sections 15 having a tongue 35 extended therefrom and the tongue being adapted to be positioned in a groove 36 in the section 16.

The tongues 19 on lower edges of the cover sections are carried by anges 37 at the sides of the cover sections and Vsimilar flanges 38 with tongues 19 `on lower edges thereof are provided on ends of the cover sections.

With the parts designed and'assembled in this manner, as shown in Figures 1 and 7, the caskets are carried with straps extendedvbelowthe casket and positioned at spaced points thereon and when theV body Yis'on displayas in Va funeral` or wake a transparent cover section'is used on ,the end of the casket in which the head'is positioned and before burial the transparent sectionis removed" and replaced with an opaquesection which when moved into position is automaticallyV locked by the keys 23.

For transportation and storage, the keys and springs are placed in vsmall envelopes in the casket whereby the complete casket with the cover Vsections thereon may be positioned in corrugated paperfcartons for storing and shipping andfthe boxes orlouter wrapping elementsmay be removed before the casket isused. f

, By thismeans a completely sealed vcasket is provided and the possibility of sunken graves is substantially elim- Vinated. n* v Y.,

In the design illustratedin Figures'9 and 10, the side walls 40 of the casket are provided with finger receiving openings 4 1 which form inset gripsV to facilitate carrying the casket by hand.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the Vspirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a self sealing and self locking casket, the combination which comprises a plastic body having a base with side and end walls extended upwardly therefrom, the outside upper edge portions of the side and end walls having grooves and the upper edges of the side walls having recesses therein, cover sections having tongues positioned to extend into the grooves of the upper edge portions of the walls and having triangular-shaped recesses therein, keys positioned in the recesses of the walls of the body and adapted to extend into the recesses of the cover sections, and resilient means urging the keys upwardly into the recesses of the cover sections.

Y 2,809,416 Y Y j 2. In a self sealing and self locking casket, the combination which comprises an elongated body having a base with upwardly extended side and end walls, said walls having grooves in outer surfaces thereof and spaced from the upper edges and said side walls having latch receiving recesses in the upper edges, cover sections slidably mounted on upper edges of the side walls with tongues extended into said grooves and with triangular-shaped recesses positioned to coact with the latch receiving recesses of the side walls, keys positioned in said recesses of the body, and springs in the recesses of the body and positioned below the keys for urging the keys upwardly into the recesses of the cover whereby upon arriving at positions of closing the casket the locking means in said recesses of the body secure the cover sections in positions on the casket.

3. in a self sealing and self locking casket, the combination which comprises a body having a base with upwardly extended side and end walls, said walls having continuous grooves spaced from upper edges and positioned in outer surfaces thereof and said sidewalls having latch receiving recesses in upper edges thereof, cover sections slidably mounted on upper edges of the side walls of the body and having tongues extended into the grooves of said walls, said cover sections having tongue and groove elements in meeting edges thereof and'recesses in under surfaces positioned to register with latch receiving recesses of the side walls,lkeys positioned in the latch receiving recesses of the side walls of the casket and springs in said latch receiving recesses for urging the keys upwardly whereby upon sliding the cover sections to positions of closing the casket the keys are snapped into recesses thereof for locking the cover sections in closed positions.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 384,701 Mahon et al. June 19, 1888 1,975,198 Doleman Oct. 2, 1934 

